Rā's al Ghūl
Rā's al Ghūl is the immortal leader of the League of Assassins, whose name means "the demon's head". Very little is known about his early life, but he has lived for at least six hundred years by immersing himself in Lazarus Pits, a mystical chemical that restores the youth of users and heals their ailments and injuries. Rā's' goal is to wipe the world clean of corruption and crime, and seeks to do this by destroying much of the global population. He views Batman as a worthy opponent, and an ideal heir. However, Batman refuses to accept Rā's' methods, and remains steadfast in his decision to oppose him. In an attempt to lure Batman to his side, Rā's orchestrated a relationship between him and his daughter, Talia al Ghūl. Biography Asylum corpse During the Joker's takeover of Arkham Asylum, Batman found Rā's' corpse on a slab near Penelope Young's office. By the end of the night, Rā's' body had mysteriously disappeared.Batman: Arkham Asylum Arkham City Resurrected by using one of his Lazarus Pits, Rā's was sought out by Hugo Strange, who revealed Batman's identity to Rā's. Promising to make Strange his successor, Rā's supplied Hugo with limitless resources for his plan to become Gotham's new savior. With Rā's on his side, Strange approached Quincy Sharp and convinced him to open Arkham City.Batman: Arkham City After Batman was thrown in Arkham City and poisoned by Joker, he sought out Mister Freeze for a cure. Freeze told Batman that a cure was impossible without a reforming enzyme that had been bonded to human DNA. Batman recognized that enzyme, knowing that Rā's had been exposed to it for centuries. Overhearing Batman talk about Rā's, one of his assassins broke out of her glass cage and fled to inform him. Batman followed the assassin back to their hideout within Wonder City and confronted Talia. Ready to face the Demon Trials and become Rā's' successor, Batman consumed the Blood of the Demon. Although it restored his health, it also sent Batman on a hallucinogenic trip. Batman followed the astral form of Rā's through this journey, gliding over large distances and combating sand assassins along the way. After completing the trial, Batman approached the real Rā's, finding him weak and in a state of decay. Rā's revealed the final trial would be to kill him and replace him as the Head of the Demon. After Batman refused, Rā's used the Lazarus Pit, rejuvenating him. With the Blood of the Demon still within Batman's veins, he fought Rā's within the illusion world. After Batman defeated Rā's, Talia attempted to help her father up. Rā's seized this opportunity and pulled a knife on his daughter, claiming that if Batman didn't kill him, he would kill the only person he had ever loved. Batman used a Remote Controlled Batarang to disable Rā's and knock him out. After Batman took a sample of Rā's' blood, Rā's revealed why he was so inclined on Batman taking his life. Having used the Lazarus Pit so many times over the centuries, he was afraid the next time would send him out a monster. After Protocol 10 had begun, Batman infiltrated Wonder Tower and confronted Hugo Strange. Having failed their plan, Rā's stabbed Strange with his sword, claiming Hugo was unworthy of becoming his successor. Leaving Strange to die, Rā's once again asked Batman to join him in his crusade, stating that Arkham City was just the beginning. With his dying breath, Strange activated Protocol 11, setting off bombs planted within the tower's office. Batman grabbed Rā's and jumped out the window. Attempting to kill Batman, Rā's stabbed himself with his sword. Letting go, Batman avoided the blade, causing Rā's to fall and land on top of the Arkham City entrance gate. Rā's' body was recovered by the League, leaving the GCPD to find only his weapons.Batman: Arkham Knight Halloween After Rā's' near demise, the League of Assassins broke up into two sects: the loyalists intent on reviving Rā's and the rebels following the rule of a new leader. The two sides fought, eventually catching Batman's attention. Finding two dead Assassins on a rooftop, Batman followed the blood trail from a third Assassin to the basement of Elliot Memorial Hospital, where Rā's was being kept alive by a stream of Lazarus serum. The loyalists told Batman of a purer source of Lazarus somewhere in Gotham, which would restore Rā's to his former glory. Rā's pleaded with Batman to help him, for Talia's sake.Batman: Arkham Knight - The Season of Infamy The pit, however, was being guarded by the rebels. To prevent the deaths of innocents, the loyalists charged Batman with finding the pit and returning with a sample. Approaching the pit, Batman was ambushed by the rebel Assassins, led by Rā's' other daughter, Nyssa Raatko. Nyssa pleaded with Batman to kill her father, so that the war for Gotham could finally end. Swearing on Talia's grave, Nyssa promised that the League would leave Gotham for good. With a sample of Lazarus in hand, Batman returned to Rā's under the hospital. Batman decided to destroy the cure and the machine keeping Rā's alive. After a battle with the loyalists, Nyssa arrived to end her father's life. Batman stopped her, instead taking Rā's to the GCPD to live out the rest of his short lifetime. After being placed on a gurney, Rā's admitted to Batman that he was proud of him. Gallery BAA-Ras bio.png|Rā's al Ghūl's bio picture from Arkham Asylum Ras evidence.jpg|Rā's' weapons in the GCPD evidence room References Category:Individuals Category:Individuals of unknown status Category:Supervillains Category:League of Assassins Category:Individuals with knowledge of Batman's identity